On May 29-31, the Outdoor Writers of Canada held its annual conference in Elora, Ontario, near the banks of the Grand River in southern Ontario (about an hour SW of Toronto). It was a great conference with lots of opportunities to explore the region, provided by the tourism people in the Elora-Fergus area.

The Grand River was once one of the most polluted rivers in the area. However, a group of concerned citizens got together and created the Grand River Conservation Authority, which went to work to clean up the river and bring the fishery back to its former glory. Well, the work has paid off and the Grand River is now classed as a Canadian Heritage River, and has one of the best brown trout fisheries in the province.

The region surrounding the Grand River is a must see. Local communities put on quite a show for visitors about the history of the region. If you visit Ontario, you should check out this region. You won’t be disappointed.